On February 14, 2026 local time, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended the Munich Security Conference. He delivered a speech entitled "Joining Hands to Set the Ship of History on the Right Course" at the "Conversation with China" session.

Wang Yi said that over the past year, the international landscape was marked by growing transformations and turbulence, and the law of the jungle and unilateralism went rampant. Humanity has come to a new crossroads for the cause of peace and development. At such a juncture, President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Governance Initiative (GGI), and called for following the five principles of sovereign equality, international rule of law, multilateralism, the people-centered approach, and real actions, with a view to jointly building a more just and equitable global governance system. The GGI aligns with the progressive trend of the times, represents the biggest common ground of the world's nations, and has thus received widespread response from the international community shortly after its announcement. It injects new impetus into the endeavor to build a community with a shared future for humanity, and offers a compass for the giant ship of history to navigate through storms toward a brighter future. Now that humanity has weathered wind and rain to come this far, pulling together should be the imperative choice. All parties should reform and improve global governance to set the ship of history on the right course.

Wang Yi put forward four proposals for reforming and improving global governance:

The priority is to revitalize the United Nations (U.N.) system. The founding of the U.N. was an important outcome of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War, a historic choice made by previous generations after painful reflection on past agonies, and the peace endeavor that nations have invested their greatest efforts in thus far. This edifice was jointly built by the people of the world. All nations have every responsibility to reinforce and renovate it, and no right to destroy it or tear it down. Without the U.N., the world would revert to the law of the jungle where the strong prey on the weak, and many small and medium-sized countries would lose the multilateral foundation critical to their survival and development. What is imperative for all nations today is to recommit to the founding mission of the U.N., revitalize the leading role of the U.N., abide by the purposes of the U.N. Charter, and enhance the efficiency and efficacy of the U.N. system, so that the organization will be able to better adapt to the needs of the 21st century and unleash renewed vitality.

The key lies in the collaboration and cooperation of all countries. The reason why the international system is not functioning well enough lies with certain country seeking to magnify differences and disagreements, put itself above everyone else, and stoke bloc confrontation. To safeguard international collaboration and cooperation, it is important to seek common ground while shelving differences and pursue win-win cooperation. And it is precisely the differences that necessitate dialogue and cooperation. There is no reason why countries cannot respect each other and contribute to each other's success. Just like the way gentlemen engage with one another, there could be harmony without uniformity. A review of history shows that every progress made by humanity would not have been possible without countries coming together for sincere cooperation despite their differences. Wang Yi said, "Let us always bear in mind that unity brings strength, and only in unity can we find hope."

Multilateralism should be always upheld. All countries live in a multipolar world and need to practice true multilateralism. There needs to be greater democracy in international relations. It is essential to make sure that all countries abide by the same set of rules, i.e., the basic norms governing international relations underpinned by the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter. All countries, in particular small and medium-sized ones, should be able to find their places and play their roles in international system. Major countries in particular should lead by example. They should take the lead in pursuing cooperation, instead of conflict or confrontation. They should take the lead in observing rules, instead of applying double standards. They should take the lead in promoting equality, instead of imposing their will on others. They should take the lead in encouraging openness, instead of resorting to self-serving unilateralism. The Global South is rising collectively. The global governance system should also stay up-to-date to give more prominence to their voices and representation.

The pressing task is to stop conflict and promote peace. Today, there are still more than 60 conflicts dragging on unabated across the world. The vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security proposed by President Xi Jinping has pointed the way for resolving the issues. All parties should promote peace through talks, and oppose attempts to escalate the situation. All parties should resolve differences through mediation and overcome conflicts through dialogue. In Gaza, the realization of ceasefire and reconstruction still require unremitting efforts. To implement the two-State solution and restore fairness and justice to the Palestinian people is the unshirkable responsibility of the international community. The situation in Iran has a direct impact on peace in the Middle East. Relevant parties should act with prudence and avoid creating new conflicts. On the Ukraine crisis, the door to dialogue is finally open. All parties concerned should seize this opportunity to reach a comprehensive, durable and binding peace agreement, remove the root causes of the conflict, and bring about lasting peace and stability in Europe. On Venezuela, the red line of international rule of law must not be crossed, and the principle of state sovereignty must be upheld.

Wang Yi emphasized that China will be a staunch force for peace, a reliable force for stability, and a progressive force in history, to promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.

Wang Yi also answered questions from the floor on the Ukraine issue, China-EU relations, China-U.S. relations, and the situation in the Asia-Pacific.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Wang Yi held separate meetings with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Argentine Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno, Austrian Federal Minister for European and International Affairs Beate Meinl-Reisinger, UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot, Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide, and Czech Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Petr Macinka.